A string of unaddressed worker injuries prompted the county transit agency to suspend work on a subway line that will connect downtown Los Angeles to the westside.
“Serious safety concerns” halted construction on the long-awaited Purple Line Extension in Los Angeles, a subway line decades in the making that would run from downtown to the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. As Rachel Uranga reports in the Los Angeles Times, “Workers have fallen off ladders, crushed fingers, slipped in mud, been struck by falling slurry and hit in the face by a failed hose.”
In a letter sent to the contractor, Tutor Perini O & G, Metro said “construction could not resume until the company assesses past failures and comes up with a plan to establish a culture of safety.” The company was selected for the project in part thanks to its bid coming in hundreds of millions of dollars lower than other submissions. “Since July 2021, there have been 32 injuries inside and around the project, according to documents sent to the executive board Friday. Thirteen of the more serious injuries required medical attention and reporting to state workplace safety officials.”
The work stoppage could delay the opening of the Purple Line, which was meant to start operations before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “Over the next four decades, Metro plans on doubling the size of its rail lines — with tracks that will connect cities at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, the South Bay, from downtown, the beach, San Fernando Valley to the working-class communities of the Southeast.”
The project could resume work after November 7 if the company meets Metro’s demands to improve safety.
FULL STORY: Construction of L.A. Metro’s Westside Purple Line halted over safety issues
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA-to-San Francisco Night Train Closer to Reality
A train operator has entered into formal negotiations with Union Pacific to move the project forward with a projected launch date of 2025.
Lawsuit Aims to Stop Dodger Stadium Gondola
A proposed aerial tram project that would shuttle visitors to L.A.’s Dodger Stadium faces backlash from environmental and community groups.
Why Parking Reform Goes Hand in Hand With More Housing
To achieve the full benefits of ‘missing middle housing’ and make way for small-lot construction, cities must rethink parking mandates.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.